Hummingbird 1-Pastel Painting

A new painting fresh off the easle. This is an 11" x 14" pastel painting titled Hummingbird 1. The first of a series planned for the winter of 2009-2010. I used creative liscence for the coloration, but it is roughly based on a broad-bill species. I used mostly Sennelier soft pastels on Wallis Museum pastel paper, which gave way to brilliant colors, and of course some alterations to the natural colors of the bird. Let me know your thoughts, I've got 9 more scheduled to come.......fun, fun, fun!

Leaf Footed Bug on Passion Flower-Pastel Painting

Here is another Project InSECT flashback. Pictured above is a finished image of "Napoleon" the leaf footed bug on a passion flower 2006. This extravagant insect is found in Brazil and is so called "leaf footed" due to the "bell bottom" style back legs. The finished pastel painting is 16" x 20" on Wallis Museum Paper. (The best pastel paper in the world by the way:) I normally do not paint flowers and such in the backgrounds of the insects, but have from time to time taken on the challenge of leaves and flower petals.